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Apple issues patch for MacBook keyboard freeze issue

By Tim Conneally, BetaNews

December 19, 2007, 12:14 PM

After a deluge of posts on Apple's MacBook support forum complaining of periodic or even total loss of keyboard function in MacBooks and MacBook Pros running Leopard, Apple has issued a patch for the OS.

According to users' comments, the glitch was reported to randomly cause keyboard input to cease until it "resolves itself," or until the user reboots. Trackpad function is reported to be unaffected, and in most instances, external keyboards appear to be safe from the malfunction.

Apple had originally dismissed this as a hardware issue, offering to replace keyboards and notebooks. But while the majority of complaints did come from users of "straight out of the box" Intel-based Macs, one user reported having the same problem after installing Leopard on a G4 PowerMac.

Users who had been running the earlier Tiger edition of Mac OS X for months with no problems, claimed the keyboard failure too after upgrading to Leopard, or in some cases during the act of installing the Leopard upgrade.

The MacBook Pro Software Update 1.1, available in the support section of Apple.com, should be the answer to this widespread bug. Leopard requires the 10.5.1 update before administering the software patch.

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By Ken Wackes

edited Dec 24, 2007 - 8:54 AM

I have the keyboard loss problem on a G4 PowerBook with Leopard 10.5.1 installed. It happens daily and requires a reboot. At times it occurs when I put the PowerBook in sleep mode.

Score: 0

By gatonegrosky

posted Dec 21, 2007 - 12:35 AM

it just works? perhaps is winter :P

Score: 0

By siryak

posted Dec 19, 2007 - 11:00 PM

What that can't be!!! Macs don't have bugs!!! /sarcasm

Score: 0

By preinterpost

posted Dec 19, 2007 - 4:04 PM

And I thought this was a feature and not a bug since everything Mac can be controlled with one single button!

Score: 0

By mdotwills

posted Dec 19, 2007 - 8:30 PM

Yes! lol. At least it doesn't Blue Screen and crash on the thought of a keyboard failure...

Score: 0

By bobthegoat2001

posted Dec 20, 2007 - 4:46 AM

Says the Mac fanboy whos never really used anything else.

Score: 0

By improvelence

posted Dec 19, 2007 - 2:23 PM

As a fan of Apple, I would just like to say...this is what they get for bashing M$ so much. Problems are cropping up just like with Vista. This is not the first and it will not be the last. No computer is without problems and the hardware is probably made in some 3rd world hell hole anyhow.

Score: 0

By internetworld7

posted Dec 19, 2007 - 10:10 PM

Stop trying to gain friends. You know PCs suck and Apple's campaigns have liberated thousands of people from computing in the dark ages which is exactly what you get on a PC.

Score: 0

By odarky

posted Dec 21, 2007 - 1:11 AM

I hate it when people who use Mac has this "I am bettter than yours" attitude. It's just a computer. Get over it.

Score: 0

By athome

posted Dec 20, 2007 - 1:28 AM

I am glad that your 3% of the population is finally out of the dark ages and now coming back to work in the daylight. Perhaps, we can show you the advances we have made with regard to "electricty", "phones", and "automobiles."

Not sure why you would want to trade one company for the other. Apple offers less and charges more for it.

Score: 0

By yountmj

posted Dec 20, 2007 - 8:20 AM

"Apple offers less and charges more for it."

++Truth

Score: 0

By alphatrigon

posted Dec 19, 2007 - 2:02 PM

lies, apple always claims "it just works", and the mac people say that's true SOMETIMES so apple is right, everybody is wrong...etc etc
lol

Score: 0

By xyzcb1

posted Dec 19, 2007 - 2:09 PM

SOMETIMES WORKS is better than SOMETIMES DON'T WORK :)

Score: 0

By bobthegoat2001

posted Dec 20, 2007 - 4:49 AM

Doesn't SOMETIMES WORKS mean it only works Sometimes and SOMETIMES DON'T WORK mean it sometimes doesn't work? I would think that SOMETIMES DON'T WORK would be better than SOMETIMES WORK. Just my opinion though.

Score: 0

By Grazer

posted Dec 20, 2007 - 4:56 PM

It really all depends on the definition used for "sometimes". It doesn't actually have a quantifiable value, and its relative value is so general in definition as to render it useless. "Sometimes" is less than "always" and more than "never". It really is a "glass is half (full|empty)" situation. Having said all that, I would agree with you anyway, as when we "hear" the phrase "sometimes works" we assume the speaker is implying not working more often than not. However, I am sure Mac users would think "differently"; many not realising that different != better.

Score: 0

By Bogunch

posted Dec 19, 2007 - 1:02 PM

...and how many years have computers had keyboards??? Looks like the Macfools have nothing over Vista as far as bugs and releasing a product before it's time.

Score: 0

By internetworld7

posted Dec 19, 2007 - 10:16 PM

Nice try PCfool but apparently you've been living under a rock because that is pretty much all that is reported online is the slow, intrusive and bugginess of Vista. Simply google Vista and there are faaaaaarrrrrrr more problems and complaints with it.

Apple at least quickly addresses the problems but Microsoft? When is SP1 for Vista expected? Mid-2008!!!!!!!!! LOL. ^--^

Score: 0

By odarky

posted Dec 21, 2007 - 1:16 AM

Urg... you just don't get it. Microsoft patches its OS every month . Service pack is just a collection of patches bundle it together. If you run Windows Update regularly, it is almost as good as installing Service Pack.

If you read the article, they mention that Apple dismiss the issue at first, then later on admit it and releasing patch. Same happen with Video Card on iMac and Montior issue on iMac as well...

No computer and/or software is perfect.

Score: 0

By bobthegoat2001

edited Dec 20, 2007 - 4:52 AM

Only because 3% of PC users own Macs. Duh!?! Not to mention there's a million ways to setup a Windows PC while only Apple can make Mac's. Nice try MACfool.

Score: 0

By athome

posted Dec 20, 2007 - 1:38 AM

Perhaps a quick lesson in statistics can help you understand that if you were to do a google on Vista and Apple you better get more hits with Vista. More people use it and therefore will show results accordingly.

Apple quickly addresses problems? Surely, you are joking?

Score: 0

By Lawrence01

posted Dec 19, 2007 - 12:31 PM

Leopard is teh lamest of the cats that apple put out. Maybe it didn't get mor chezburgers?

Score: 0

By Ken Wackes

posted Dec 24, 2007 - 12:16 PM

Gee! I must be in a time warp! The feel, speed, and overall phenomenal quality of Leopard compared to Vista must be an illusion. If so, I will happily stay in the illusion. As one who works on both platforms, there simply is no comparison. If the keyboard issue is never resolved and I have to reboot daily, that certainly is not much of a hardship. Having to work all day and night on Vista WOULD be!!

Score: 0

By Paul Skinner

edited Dec 19, 2007 - 12:57 PM

Leopard:
http://weetobix.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/web/fail.jpg

Lamest of the cats, but not that lame in my opinion. I just had to post that picture in response to your comment.

Score: 0

By bobthegoat2001

posted Dec 20, 2007 - 5:00 AM

On the subject of posting pictures:

http://tinyurl.com/dx6ud

Score: 0

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